Distillation



Jan. 15, 1924. I 1,481,241

H. KoPPERs DISTILLATION oF ZINC l Filed Aug. 31. 1921 Patented Jan. l5, i924.

U NIT E Si PENNSYLVANIA.

Application, filed august 3i, 192.1..

To elfi whom t may concern:

lle it known that l, llamaron lorrnus (assignor to The Hoppers Development Corporation, a corporation oi Pennsylvania), a citiren ot Germany, residiinot in lilsscn- Ruhr, Germany, have invente a new and useful .improvement in the Distillation oi- Zinc (German application tiled-to wit, June 7, 1916), of which the tollowing` a speciiication. Y

The invention relates to a process tor the distillation of zinc, having;- for its principal Objectis to do :way with the use ot the cuea ternary inutiles, and to avoid losses due to the cracking and damage ot such niu'files, and als avoid slap; adhesions tothe :retort or oven elements. y

The customary procedure in the production oit zinc is that the zinc ores are mired with carbon particles, the sol-called cindcr, and subjected to distillation in inutile/srcL sembling retorts. New it is ilfonnd that `in the inutiles used tor this purpose, which are made o t lireproot clay, considerable slag adhesions occur, while the inutilesV easily and otten crack. These disturbing influences not only are a prolific cause ot losses in the Zinc distillation, but the replacing` oi damaged inutiles results in considerable expense and loss oit time. `These drawbacks are so iinportant that in the construction and operation ot a plant oi this kind they are a. Factor to be given prime consideration.

These drawbacks are avoided by the 'invention thus: that the charite ot the inutiles, that is the mixture oit ore and cinder, is sep arated trom direct Contact with the walls by a layer ot carbon. that is, pure cinder, and, one yInigrht say, enveloped. '.lhis envelope,`termed an insulating; layer, not only accomplishes the task ot proven son; direct contact between the Zinc orc and the walls whereby primarily slag);` adhesions are over-v come but also operates in such a way that the fire gases which enter the distillation space. owing to ditl'usion meet the distillation products only in reduced torm so that oxidation of the Zinc vaporslwhich could be Serial No. 497,358.

to those skilled in the art, which not only can stand higher temperatures, but also is niuoh less liable to cause slag,I adhesions.

The carrying out ot the new inode ot operation is preferably effected on the basis ot theV .so-called continuous, that is uninterrupted, distillation, which has already been adopted with success in zinc distillation. Since in this case there is beingI handled the constantly arriving charge ot ore and cinder and also constantly a chargent pure cinder, in the. resultingv state ot inertia there is produced through the whole oven a progressive and constantly renewed lining formation `without any ditiiculties to the normal operation beinp; caused thereby.

ln the drawings a plant suitable for carrying' out the indicated inode ot operation is illustrated. in Figures 1 and 2 in diagrammatic sections, Fig. l being1 a` vertical section on line limi ot Figure 2; and Figure 2 being a horizontal section on line ll-llf oi"- Fing* ure l, and showing only the central part ot the apparatus.

'llhe vertical retort 0i may be oit the known term used in shale oil distillation or continuous ,gras production, and is conveniently constructed oit `lireproot blocks united as in wall construction. ln the base of the retort o arranged a movable discharge device or grate o ot any known and suitable construction adapted to the particular properties oit the residue. At the top oi the retort provided the charging hopper c by which the actual charge is admitted, while this hopper is surrounded by a second hopper nl contanning,` only carbon particles, that is, pure cinder. Simultaneously with the descent oit the charging' column there is formed a lining e enveloping,1 the actual charge and insulat ing` it trom the wall oit' the retort The heating ot the retort can be effected in one ot the Ways approved tor hitherto known continously ted retort-s, ttor example, it may be inthe torni of the so-callcd zone heating by forming by means of cooling; walls having chambers y a vertical series oi zones which can' be scparatelyput into action and controlled.` Intermediate the retorts t are chambers or horizontal ilues 7L communicat ing; with the chambers f by conduits t, y' (Fing. 2). lNhile, however', in gas generation this zone heating is guided by quite special considerations, for example, the coal charging region is especially strongly heated titi and the heating` allowed to diminish downwardly, in the present caseV the action ot the Zones is so regulated that the pressures inside and outsidethe retort are practically equalr` so that passage of gases through the retort walls is avoided as tar as possible.

he withdrawal or" the products Vot distillation is conveniently effected at a region of the retort where a dropping lot temperature is impossible, say at conduits g. The distillationgases developed are collec-ted here7 led away, rand subject-ed to further' treatment. As the gaseous `oxides ot carbon entrain Zinc vapors,y which are partly precipitated zinc in solid or liquid torni, the gases are "purified from the metallic particles and -reconducted to, the retort. ya part ot' `the heatina being' accomplished by this, the said gases being combustible in the retort.

VWhat is claimed is'- 1. A process 'tor the distillation otzinc trom aA -mixture ot Zinc and carbon, consistinrj in continuously feedingV said ymixture through a heating retort, simultaneously feeding through saidretort and around said mixture al layer ot carbon.' causing the heatingl oi the contents Aotthe retort to distill the Zinc, withdrawing from said retortthe gases ot distillation containing the zinc. and withdrawing` Vfrom .the retort progressiyelT the residue ot its contents.

Y 2. A process for the distillation of zinc trom a mixture ot Zinc-and carbon, consistingrV in .continuously teedmgsaid mixture through heating;` retort, simultaneously te ding); throughv said retort and around said gases through the retort walls.

3. A process `for thedist-illation of zinc 'from a mixture of zinc and carbon, consist-- ingr .in continuously feeding .said mixture by gravi down through a heatingrl retort having walls ot refractory material, maintaininnA said mixture out of contact with the 'walls .ot thefretort as itfpa'sses -through the same. causing lthe heating of the contents ot 'the retortl to distill the zinc. withdrawing vtroni said'retort'the gasesof distillation containing` the zinc, and withdrawingffrom vthe retort progressively'tlie residue of its contents. L

4. In a process for the di'stillationnot zinc and other volatile metals from their ores vthe steps tha-ti consist in kenveloping the charge in carbon during the distillation period.

5. In a process for the distillation ot vola.- tile metals from their ores maintaining carbon about the charge while in the distillation chamber.

6. A process for the distillation ot Zinc from a mixture ot Zinc and carbon consisting in separating the charge trom the retort walls by a. layer of carbon.

7. A process for the distillation ot zinc 'from a mixture of zinc and carbon consistine in separating; the charge from the retort walls by a layer of cinder.

8. In a process for the distillation ot ,volatile .metals from their ores consisting in maintainingr the charge in an envelope ot carbon, reconducting the gases purified troni metal particles to the retort to partiallyv heat the charge.

9. A process for the distillation oi zine trom a mixture of Zinc and carbon consisting in continuously feedingr to n, retort a mixture ot Zinc and carbon and continuously feeding tothe retort unmixed cinder to torni a lining about said charge while passingr through said retort.

10. A process tor the distillation of rolatile metals from their ores consistiunY ol maintaining the charge being subjected to distillation out of contact with the walls o l the distillation chamber'.

11. A `process for the distillation ot zinfand other Volatile metals from their ores consisting; in continuously supplying; to the retort a charge to be distilled and continu-- ously supplying pure cinderi'o said retort between the charge to be distilled and the walls of the retort.

12. A process for the distillation ot zinc .trom a mixture of zinc and carbon consisting in separatingthe charge to he distilled trom the walls of the distilling chamber by carbonaceous materiall` regulatingr the heating of the diilerent zones so that the pressure conditions will he substantially thc same on the inside of the distilling chamber as on the outside of the distilling chamber.

13. A process for the distillation ot `zinc vand other Volatile metals trom their ores consisting in continuously .icedinoA the charge to bedistilled tlirough a retort whose `walls are composed of lime bonded inalcrialfsuch asy the silicions refractory Dinos stone, separating the charge to he i'listilled 'from said retort walls by i lining ot car bonaceous material.

In. testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of July, 1921.

HEINRICH KOPPIGRS.

(iii 

